Tuesday, June 30

The popularization of the Tight Jean started in the 1950's with the mainstream embrace of rock 'n' roll. Although we in the urban community have only recently rebegun rocking the tightest of tight jeans, skinnies, the style has been a constant fixture of the rock 'n' roll community for decades.

However, with the recent rise in popularity of skinny jeans, health concerns have begun to rise about wearing your jeans too tight. You just might end up getting Merlagia Paresthetica, a random nerve condition that can cause excruciating pain.

One skinny jean victim, Christina Crane, 22, said she's worn low-rise rise jeans for six years before getting her diagnosis and now takes anti-seizure medicine to control her symptoms.

There once was a day when you could be fully entertained by basic cable or even an antenna. But now, Black comedy is restricted to reality TV coonery, and there are only a handful of decent white shows on television (which mainly air during the fall/spring).

TV has truly become a Man Down Code Ten Affair! However, there is a solution!

…And It’s HBO’s True Blood

Although it deals with the supernatural, this is definitely nobody’s Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince. True Blood is like a country and raunchy version of Interview With A Vampire. I immediately became a fan after watching just one episode. Check out this clip, and I guarantee that you’ll be calling your local Cable Company to place an order for HBO.

By the way, if you missed the first few episodes of this season, they’ll be airing back to back @ 9pm/8c on July 5th, while the series take “a breather” for a week. Fresh episodes of the 2nd season of True Blood will resume on July 12th.

Occasional Occasions would like to personally thank you, as well as my support team who assisted me in pulling off this culinary feat. My cooking was a labor of love, and I thoroughly enjoyed preparing each dish for your Bonne Bouche experience.

Staring as the opening up act for Beyonce's...I Am tour, Richgirl recently sat down with Livesteez to talk Electrik Red, their debut album, and staying together as one...

LiveSteez: What’s the concept behind Richgirl?

Brave: Richgirl is a metaphor. It has everything to do with being strong. It speaks to every confident woman who takes responsibility for her dream. Her God-given blessings, I guess you could say. It’s about being powerful and there’s power in femininity. It's about your inner self-worth. That’s what makes us rich.Seven: It has nothing to do with money. At all.Brave: We always say that we’re rich in family, we’re rich in spirit and we’re rich in love. You can be rich in so many other things.

LiveSteez: What’s Rich girl’s sound?

Lyndriette: Our sound is everything. We do pop. We do R&B. We do hip hop. We might take it to church! (in unison) Our sound is us.

LiveSteez: When I first heard of the group, everyone was telling me that Richgirl reminded them of the original Destiny’s Child. How does that make you all feel?

Brave: We’re so humbled. We’re so flattered to even be mentioned in the same breath as a group that was so extraordinary.Seven: I remember the first time that I ever heard bugaboo in my parent’s jeep Cherokee. I heard it and I was like, ‘what is this!?’ I loved Destiny’s Child, and I still do. To know that people think that is very humbling.

LiveSteez: You guys are on the brink of the “girl group” coming back. Do you feel like you have a lot to prove?

Lyndriette: I feel like we have a lot to give, because there is such a void. Take it back to En Vogue and that’s the group that we hold on pedestal. Each girl sings and each is able to express themselves. Not to say that groups now and days don’t express themselves, but, I personally, along with my sisters, want to fill that void.

LiveSteez: How do you guys feel about Electrik red?

Brave: We bought their album. They’re “richgirls” too.Seven: I just feel like there is room for everybody. Back in the day, like back in the Motown era, you had so many girl groups. There wasn’t just one girl group.Brave: Later, you had Escape, TLC & SWV.Lyndriette: I just hate that they’re trying to make groups go head to head. It’s not this vs. this. Why are we doing that? We all have totally different styles and we’re just doing what we like to do. They’re doing what they like to do.

Magazines and newspapers are DONE since the blogosphere made it's impact....And Vibe Magazine just happens to be casualty of that.

After 16 years, word on the street is that Vibe Magazine is finally closing it's doors. Shocked when I heard the news, all I could remember is flipping thru the pages of Vibe magazine, while my classmates read comic books in middle school --I guess I always did my own thang, now I run the game.

<Vibe's Final Cover: The Dream & Christina Milian, August 2009 Issue

A victim of the internet, Vibe Magazine, If I can admit, sort of lost it's luster when the blogosphere came along. They no longer had the stories first. It became an "Internet first, publications second" kind of world. The content wasn't fresh as it once was. I guess people buy less toilet paper in recessions if you know what I mean...I'm just saying. But granted, when one door closes another one opens. I believe this will be a great opportunity for individual publishers.

Actually when I think about it, Vibe magazine was a huge part of my life during the 90s. It is pretty sad that it's gone.

Peace out to VIBE Magazine. They did our culture well and we'll miss them...

Monday, June 29

It's been less than a week since the passing of what many would call their hero, Michael Jackson, and I'm still in grief and utter shock. Even more so shocked after seeing what BET called a tribute show to the King of Pop. After years of incomparable performances and a lifetime of hits, this is how you repay him? With lack-luster performances and corny fill-in's...BET I Won't let you live this down! We won't stop until respect is given the right way....

We do our best to keep you afloat under stressful situations. Thats the reason for our Motivational Mondays, basically an attempt to get your week started off with some sort of inspiration--to keep you going. Whether you're working or unemployed...these quotes are for everybody, and with the emails I've been receiving, I think were doing a pretty good job at reaching out to our viewers. That being said, please feel free to comment or email us a story that we can feature on our site and put a "motivation" spin to it. I'm sure someone else may be going through the same issue.

Jay-Z is so good he makes me want to pack and move back to NYC tomorrow. Er, actually, maybe when the "hot wet garbage" months have passed. I'm ready to play that guitar part to D.O.A. anytime he needs me. I love how Jay-Z and I both go to the same place to do our deep thinking in music videos. Check out "Waiting on The World..." vs. "D.O.A." - John Mayer on Jay-Z's D.O.A. via Twitter

Can you imagine John playing the guitar on D.O.A.!?!? That would be sick! I only follow a few people on Twitter, John Mayer being one of them. With such an incredible artistry, John happens to be one of my favorites of this generation. That's probably why he's one of my 56 followers on Twitter-- I take such an interest towards him and his daily updates. Mayer, who happens to be ultra-personal on his records, Tweeted earlier today, June 28, about wanting to collaborate with Jay-Z.

I would love to see these two do a live album together--get how I said ALBUM, and not record. One record just wouldn't due. With so much talent in one room, I would rather see them knock out a whole album ...You know, cut atleast 12 joints, John on the guitar & hook, while Jay murders a few 16's. Can you see it?

That's slightly better than having a "Sheneneh and Wanda" movie...or close to it lol...

I'm truly at a loss for words with this year's BET Awards. Truly. And so goes my thoughts about the trash fashion displayed on the red carpet. I'm going to just keep it simple and give a PASS or FAIL. Here goes:

Our TwitPic of the day comes from none other than the Twitter Queen herself, Solange. Always updating her Twitter page with personal pictures, she offers us the above photo and appropriately dubbed it "Rainbow Pow!"

Just a few days to process the shock and grief, Hip Hop superstars attended the BET Awards trying to show homage to an icon we lost just days earlier--but failed terribly!

Opening act: Cute idea....but that's not gonna cut it BET! This is NOT how you give a tribute to an iCon. New Edition attempted to re-do the Jackson 5..... And in no way, shape or form did they master what J5, or Michael Jackson meant to us. No JUSTICE! Ok granted, it was last minute but that's no excuse. If you can't pay homage correctly, don't do it at all. Day 26 would have done better than that!!!

Host: Jamie Foxx!!! All I wanna say is, I had chills for a little bit! ...His costumes were TACKY, but his jokes made up for what was definitely lacking.

Performances:

Keri Hilson..it wasn't calling for much. 3 out of 5 stars. Later in the show she showed out with that "Candler road looking dress"....Not a good look!

And finally taking his hat off, Ne-Yo did a solid, yet sad, performance of "Lady In My Life." --4 out of 5 stars.

Jamie Foxx who performed "Blame it," with T-Pain won, hosted, and peformed...Did BET run out of ideas? And wait, did he come on stage with a Nuevo bottle? Who let that slip?...But then again it's BET...Nevermind! 3 out of 5 stars...

Souljah boy....VERY BORING! And NO Michael Jackson tribute? No Michael Jackson tribute, No sir. I was waiting on somebody to put some Autotune on Soulja Boy! He needed an entourage or something on stage....because clearly he shouldn't do it by himself--2 out of 5 stars.

Beyonce's performance, very random? Very....She didn't even give Michael a tribute...It was something straight out of her "I'am..." tour. I was over it. 3 out of 5 stars....

Keith sweat, New Edition, & BBD all came out for an ol' school performance....

Keyshia Cole & Monica performed their hit, "TRUST"...3 out of 5 stars.... & even Tevin Campbell came out and performed. What was BET thinking?! Tevin Campbell? Really?

Trey Songz, Tyrese, & Johnny Gill, who looked like a tender verison of LTD, performed a medely of the O' jay's hits: "Smile in your face", "Darlin' Darlin' Baby (Sweet Tender Love)," and "Stairway to heaven.".... 4 out of 5 stars.

Mary Mary came out w/ Queen Latifah and performed "God In Me," which I actually enjoyed...5 out of 5 stars.

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Jay-Z performed "D.O.A." and actually saved Hip Hop --THANK GOD he cut that nappy hair off! Beyonce was going in on his performance, did you see her? His band was going off too...Crazy dope!! 4 out of 5 stars.

Ciara, girl what was that?? BET....I must say ....and I say this with conviction, YOU MUST do better! Beyonce was str-8 laughing at CiCi!! lol....1 out of 5 stars. We love you Ciara, we really do...

Maxwell performed "Pretty Wings"....and once again, BABIES WERE CONCEIVED TONIGHT!!! I'm just saying, he is THAT guy!

Drake came out w/ Lil' Wayne and performed"Best I ever had."

Day 26, still sporting rope chains hanging from their pants??? LATE...I'm not gonna go in on them...I'll let Corey handle that one LOL...

Janet Jackson did it for me!!!--I have to admit, there were tears in my eyes when she hit the stage...*PAUSE* I mean for goodness sake, that was his sister. I was deeply saddened when Ne-yo & Jamie Foxx performed "I'll Be there."--THE Saddest moment of the show.

....And Miss Alicia Keys, we were good until you told us to text 900-WHATEVA, requesting $5? Nice outfit, & your make-up was dope too but...we are in a recession mama'...